Rucksack design

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to building a rucksack. The bag is made of first material panels, notably fabric, complementary panels made in at least one other material being laid out on the bag. Assembling devices are laid out between the first panels so as to form housings which are all grouped together and into which are introduced the complementary panels and a single and unique cuttable border closing the housings; severing of the cuttable border allows the housings to be opened for extracting the complementary panels.

The present relates to a bag, notably a rucksack, the design of which has the advantage of facilitating its recycling when the latter is discarded by its owner. Such a bag may however be of the shoulder strap bag type or of another type, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Bags generally consist of panels in fabric or in another similar material, assembled together by means of sewing or sealing so as to at least form an envelope for containing articles to be transported by means of said bag. Also fabric panels allow the formation of one or even two straps or optionally handles, allowing the envelope to be carried either slung across the shoulder or on the back or even by hand. Many bags generally comprise other panels complementary to the fabric panels, these complementary panels being made in other materials. Thus, for example, on rucksacks, foam panels integrated into the shoulder straps or into the rear face of the envelope, are often found for forming paddings. Also, many bags for example comprise panels in foam or in rigid materials such as cardboard, compressed wood, plastic, metal or other material, integrated into the fabric panels so as to form separation walls inside the envelope for its compartmentation or even a reinforcement, for example in the bottom of the envelope.

These presently known bag designs have the main drawback of complicating the recycling operations of said bag, at the end of the life of the latter, i.e. when the owner wishes to discard the bag. Indeed, according to a known embodiment, the different materials of the bag, notably the fabric panels and the foam panels, are sewn or sealed together; the operator in charge of recycling such a bag type then has to separate the different materials and for this, has to cut and disassemble the material in proximity to the seam or seal. Such operations require a great deal of time and do not allow complete separation of the different materials, the cutting by means of a cutting tool of the cutter type, generally being roughly done because of the rapidity of execution of the operator who has to minimize his/her execution time.

According to another embodiment of the bags, the complementary panels are optionally positioned between two panels in fabric sewn and sealed together over the whole of their contours in order to maintain said complementary panels in position. With this design, by cutting out each fabric panel containing said complementary panels, it is of course possible to entirely extract each of said complementary panels and to completely separate said fabric panels. These operations however require a great deal of time for the operator in charge of the recycling operations.

The object of the present invention is to overcome such drawbacks and to propose a bag for this, with the design of which it is possible by simple cutting, to ensure complete separation of the whole of the complementary panels which may exist on said bag in order to separate them from the fabric panels or the like.

As such, the present invention deals with a bag notably comprising an envelope and at least one shoulder strap. When the bag has a shoulder strap, the latter will allow the envelope to be carried slung across the shoulder. Preferably the bag has two shoulder straps, allowing the envelope to be carried on the back of the user. These bag elements are notably made by means of fabric panels assembled together notably by sewing or even by sealing. However, the use of a material other than fabric such as leather or another material may be contemplated.

Moreover, the bag comprises at least two complementary panels made in at least one material other than said first material used for making the envelope, notably a fabric. Such a complementary panel may for example be made in foam, when it fulfils a padding function on the bag, or even in a rigid material such as cardboard, compressed wood, plastic, metal or other material when it notably fulfils a compartmentation function inside the bag or even of reinforcement e.g. in the bottom of the envelope or further at its rear face.

According to the invention, assembling means are laid out between the first panels so as to form at least two housings on the one hand which all group together and which allow the respective introduction of said at least two complementary panels and a single and unique cuttable border closing said at least two housings on the other hand, the severing of said cuttable border allowing said at least two housings to be concomitantly opened for extracting said at least two complementary panels.

It is understood that said at least two housings each comprise before they are permanently closed, one aperture through which depending on the steps for making the bag, the complementary panel may optionally be introduced but especially be withdrawn for its recycling. Further, it is understood that all the apertures of the housings are grouped together in a same and single location, thereby allowing permanent closing of the whole of the apertures of the housings by means of the single and unique cuttable border. The cuttable nature of this single and unique border during the recycling of the bag at the end of the life of the latter, allows said cuttable border to be severed and all the housings may thereby be opened in a single and unique operation in order to extract therefrom the complementary panels which are simply introduced into the housings and thus, physically and simply separating the different materials present on the bag.

Thus, with the assembling means between the first panels, a plurality of housings may respectively be formed, allowing the introduction of complementary panels, these complementary panels may be made in an identical material or in various materials, different from the first material used for the first panels, notably fabric. The housings each have an aperture and are laid out so that these apertures are all grouped together beside each other, the unique cuttable border closing said apertures of said housings, with which the complementary panels may be maintained inside said housings. Further, by severing said cuttable border the whole of the housings may be opened in a single operation, with which it is then possible to extract each of the complementary panels. A single cut of the cuttable border therefore allows separation of the various materials existing on the bag.

According to an embodiment, the bag comprises an envelope which has a rear face comprising one of said at least two housings into which one of said at least two complementary panels for example in foam or in rigid material is inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the lower end of said rear face.

According to an alternative, the bag comprises one or two shoulder straps, depending on whether this is a rucksack or a shoulder strap bag, which comprise at least one portion consisting of first panels assembled together and on a portion, with the first panels of the envelope, so as to form one or two of said at least two housings, depending on whether there are one or two shoulder straps, into which complementary panels, notably of foam or rush, are inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the lower end of said portion of said shoulder straps on the portion secured to the envelope.

According to an alternative, the envelope of the bag includes at least one wall for separation into at least two compartments, this separation wall comprising one of said at least two housings into which one of said at least two complementary panels notably of foam or rigid panel is inserted, the cuttable border closing the aperture of said housing being laid out at the lower end of this separation wall.

According to an alternative, the envelope of the bag has a lower face or a bottom comprising one of said at least two housings into which one of the said at least two complementary panels, notably a rigid panel is inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the rear end of this lower face.

Preferentially, the bag is of the rucksack type, the envelope comprising a rear face, the cuttable border, according to the various alternatives above, or even according to a combination of these various alternatives, being laid out at the lower end of said rear face. Thus, by severing this cuttable border positioned at the lower end of the rear face, it is possible, according to these various possible design methods of the bag object of the invention, to extract each of the complementary panels positioned inside the fabric panels forming housings.

Preferentially, the bag comprises a plurality of housings each receiving a complementary panel. These housings each comprise an aperture before they are permanently closed by the cuttable border, the apertures being all grouped together in a same and single location. i.e. they are adjacent to each other. The cuttable border consists of individual closure systems of each aperture of said housings, these closure systems being positioned beside each other, preferably at the lower end of one of the faces of the bag, notably the rear face of the bag of the rucksack type, a common joining system surrounding said closing systems and now assembled together at said cuttable border, said housings closed by said closure systems. This design has the advantage of ensuring that the operator carries out severing of the cuttable border in a single operation, in an area ensuring the opening of the whole of the housings for extracting the complementary panels.

Other features will become apparent upon reading the following description of various conceivable design methods for the bag object of the present invention, based on figures wherein:

FIG. 1 schematizes a first bag design of the rucksack type, having complementary panels laid out at the shoulder straps and at the rear face;

FIG. 2 schematizes a second bag design of the rucksack type, having complementary panels laid out at the shoulder straps and at the lower face of the envelope;

FIG. 3 schematizes a third bag design of the rucksack type, having complementary panels at the shoulder straps and at a separation wall allowing compartmentation of the envelope of the bag;

FIG. 4 schematizes a fourth bag design of the rucksack type, comprising complementary panels laid out at the rear face and at a separation wall allowing compartmentation inside the bag envelope;

FIG. 5 schematizes a fifth bag design of the rucksack type, having complementary panels at the shoulder straps, at the rear face and at a separation wall;

FIGS. 6-9 schematize the principle for separating the various materials on the bag object of the invention, with view to its recycling;

FIG. 10 illustrates a preferential design method for the cuttable border.

As this may be distinguished in FIGS. 1-9, the bag 1, object of the present invention, traditionally consists of a plurality of panels 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d, 2 e notably in fabric, notably assembled together by sewing or by sealing, so as to form an envelope 8 in which articles or products to be transported may be contained. According to the various examples illustrated in the figures, the bag is of the rucksack type, and comprises two shoulder straps. Application of the invention on other alternative bags for example of the shoulder-slung bag type, having a single strap or shoulder strap, allowing the envelope to be carried on the side, may however be contemplated.

On the different alternative bag designs illustrated in FIGS. 1-9, it is seen that the latter comprise complementary panels, made in materials different from that of the first panels, notably in fabric. Thus, in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5 it is seen that the shoulder straps have a portion 10 a comprising complementary panels 3 c, preferably in foam and forming padding on said shoulder straps 10. Also, in FIGS. 1-4, it is seen that the rear face 9 of the envelope 8 comprises a complementary panel 3 a, for example in foam, in order to form padding, or even in a more rigid material such as compressed wood or metal, or even another material in order to form a reinforcement on the rear face.

FIG. 2, it is seen that the bottom 13 of the envelope 8 comprises a complementary panel 3 d, for example in a rigid material in order to form a reinforcement on the bottom of the bag, or even in foam in order to form padding.

In FIGS. 3-5, it is noted that the envelope 8 includes a separation wall 11 with which two compartments 12 a, 12 b may be formed, this separation wall 11 including a complementary panel 3 b for example in foam or in a rigid or semi-rigid material. Of course other separation walls may be provided similar to the interior of the envelope in order to form a greater number of compartments inside the latter, according to the same design.

When the bag has shoulder straps 10 having padding, it includes a portion 10 a intended to be supported on the shoulders of the wearer, integrating a complementary panel 3 c illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and 5. The fabric panels 2 c of these portions 10 a of shoulder straps 10 are assembled together and on a portion, notably the lower portion 10 b, with the rear face 9 of the envelope, said assembly being notably achieved by sewing or by sealing or even by another method. As this emerges from FIGS. 1-3 and 5, the assembly between these fabric panels 2 a, 2 c allows a housing 4 c to be formed, allowing reception of said complementary panel 3 c, the assembly between the fabric panels 2 c of the portion 10 a of the shoulder strap 10 and the fabric panel 2 a of the rear face 9 being laid out so as to form at the lower end 10 c of the shoulder strap 10 an aperture closed by a cuttable border 7.

In FIG. 2, fabric panels 2 d positioned in the bottom 13 of the envelope 8 are assembled together so as to form a housing 4 d allowing the reception of a complementary panel 3 d, the assembly between the panels being laid out so as to form at the rear end 13 a of the bottom 13 of the bag an aperture also closed by a cuttable border 7.

In FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the rear face 9 of the envelope 8 consists of panels 2 a assembled together so as to form a housing 4 a allowing introduction of a complementary panel 3 a, the assembly between the panels 2 a allowing at the lower end 9 a of said rear face 9, formation of an aperture closed by a cuttable border 7.

Also, it is seen in FIGS. 3-5 that the separation wall 11 consists of panels 2 b assembled together so as to form a housing 4 b allowing the reception of a complementary panel 3 b, said assembly allowing at the lower end 11 a of said wall, formation of an aperture closed by a cuttable border 7.

According to the different embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, it is seen that the apertures of the different housings existing on the bag all join together in a same and single point, preferably, as illustrated in these figures, at the lower end 9 a of the rear face 9 of the bag, these apertures all being closed by assembling means applied between the different fabric panels, these assembling means allowing the remarkable formation of a single and unique cuttable border 7 common to each housing and which may easily be cut out from the outside of the bag, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Thus, at the end of life of the product, by cutting out this cuttable border 7 as illustrated in FIG. 7, for example by means of a cutter, it is possible to concomitantly clear each of the apertures of the different housings existing on the bag, thereby allowing extraction of the different complementary panels existing on the bag so as to separate them completely with regard to the fabric panels, as this may be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. Thus, the panels made in different materials may be separated by means of a single and unique cut of the cuttable border 7.

Of course, the application of such a cuttable border 7 has a remarkable benefit when the bag comprises a plurality of complementary panels integrated into a plurality of housings, as this may be seen in the different FIGS. 1-7 applying different non-limiting bag alternatives.

Other bag alternatives, without departing from the scope of the present invention may be contemplated for example on the combination of different alternatives illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, or even other bag alternatives of the rucksack, bag slung on the shoulder, hand bag type or another type. Replacement of the fabric panels may also be contemplated with another material, different from the materials used for the complementary panels, such as for example the use of leather panels or in other material, the goal being the possibility of separating the different existing materials upon recycling the bag, at the end of the life of the latter, i.e. when it is discarded by its owner.

FIG. 10 illustrates a preferential design method of the assembling means at the lower portion of the rear face of the bag 1 according to the different alternatives illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, or even possibly according to other alternatives, and allowing formation of the cuttable border 7 closing the apertures of each of the housings existing on the bag and each integrating a complementary panel. Thus, in the example illustrated in FIG. 10, these assembling means allowing formation of the cuttable border 7 consist of individual closure systems 7 a, 7 b, 7 c each closing apertures 14 a, 14 b, 14 c of each of the housings 4 a, 4 b, 4 c. These different closure systems 7 a, 7 b, 7 c are for example of the sewn or even welded type. Further, a common joining system 7 d ensures that the assembly is maintained between each of the housings 4 a, 4 b, 4 c in their aperture area 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, this common joining system 7 d concomitantly enclosing each of the individual closure systems 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, which has the advantage of guaranteeing that the operator will carry out the cutting of the cuttable border 7, for example by means of a cutter 5 as illustrated in FIG. 7, in the area 6 of the apertures 14 a, 14 b, 14 c of each of the housings. This common joining system 7 d is preferably applied by means of a fabric panel 15 a which encloses the individual closure systems 7 a, 7 b, 7 c, preferably of the seam or seal type, this fabric panel 15 being attached to the lower end of the housings 14 a, 14 b, 14 c by an attachment system 15 b preferably of the sewing or sealing type as illustrated in FIG. 10.

Of course, other assembling means allowing application of the cuttable border 7 may be contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Such a unique cuttable border 7 may further be applied at various locations on the bag, without departing from the scope of the invention, according to the position of the housings receiving the complementary panels, said housings being laid out so as to be all grouped on one of their sides and to form a common edge with which said unique cuttable border may be formed, which, during its cutting, allows all these housings to be opened. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A bag comprising an envelope and at least one shoulder strap, made by means of first panels of material notably fabric, at least two complementary panels being made in at least one other material, laid out on said bag, wherein assembling means are laid out between the first panels so as to form at least two housings on the one hand, which are all grouped together and into which said at least two complementary panels are introduced and, a single and unique cuttable border closing said at least two housings on the other hand, severing of said cuttable border allowing said at least two housings to be concomitantly opened for extracting said at least two complementary panels.
 12. The bag according to claim 11, wherein the envelope has a rear face comprising one of said at least two housings, into which one of said at least two complementary panels is inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the lower end of said rear face.
 13. The bag according to claim 11, wherein said at least one shoulder strap comprises at least one portion including first panels assembled together and on a portion with the first panels of the envelope, so as to form one of said at least two housings into which one of said at least two complementary panels is inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the lower end of said shoulder strap portion on the portion secured to said envelope.
 14. The bag according to claim 13, wherein the envelope comprises a rear face, two shoulder straps being secured to the rear face.
 15. The bag according to claim 14, wherein the cuttable border is concomitantly made at the lower end of both shoulder straps and at the lower end of the rear face.
 16. The bag according to claim 11, wherein the envelope includes at least one wall for separation into at least two compartments, said separation wall comprising one of said at least two housings into which one of said at least two complementary panels is inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the lower end of said at least one separation wall.
 17. The bag according to claim 16, wherein the envelope comprises a rear face, the cuttable border being concomitantly laid out at the lower end of said at least one separation wall and at the lower end of the rear face.
 18. The bag according to claim 11, wherein the envelope has a lower face comprising one of said at least two housings into which one of said at least two complementary panels is inserted, the cuttable border being laid out at the rear end of said lower face.
 19. The bag according to claim 18, wherein the envelope comprises a rear face, the cuttable border being concomitantly laid out at the lower end of the rear face and at the rear end of the lower face.
 20. The bag according to claim 11, said at least two housings each comprising an aperture before they are permanently closed by the cuttable border, the apertures all being grouped together, said cuttable border including individual closure systems of each aperture of said at least two housings and of a common joining system enclosing said individual closure systems and maintaining said at least two housings assembled together. 